Mozart in Havana

Havana, Cuba October 2017 – Lyceum Orchestra Havana

Mozart in Havana! When I heard about this festival, I knew I just had to feature it on Sarah´s Music somehow. I had visited Cuba for the first time earlier this year and had immediately fallen in love with the country, the people and their music. To come back to film for work was just a wonderful excuse and I loved every minute. However, things rarely go to plan in Cuba…there’s always a surprise or two in store!

I was impressed by the standard and the passion of the young musicians studying classical music in Havana. It was a joy to play with Susana and the Havana strings in our chamber music concert and hearing the Marriage of Figaro Overture in Havana Cathedral was very special – I enjoyed watching the audience´s reaction to Mozart and the orchestra played so well.

None of this would have happened had it not been with the help of Lea Jakob and Cris Schonk from the Cuban European Youth Academy. They were the ones who organised my first masterclass in Cuba last February and were invaluable helping to organise the filming. The CuE is a wonderful organisation which supports young Cuban classical musicians, check out their Facebook page!

Although Cuba is bursting with music, classical music is not normally associated with the country so I was delighted to find how much is being done for classical music there. But their wonderful musicians need support and I am determined to do as much as I can. You can too by going to visit Cuba and, between all the Cuban music on every street corner, attend a classical music concert or two there. You’ll see what I mean!